1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an integrated beam splitter and adjustable light intensity control adapter and more particularly to an adapter including an attachment means for having an optical device which produces an optical image connected to one opening and a viewing means to enable a user to observe the image and a separate attachment for a video camera recording means to record the optical image from the optical device. An adjustable iris controls the intensity of the optical image received by the video recording means.
2. Disclosure of the Prior Art
It is known in the prior art to utilize a beam splitter in combination with a viewing means and a video camera recording means. Also, use of an iris or other light intensity controlling means are known in the prior art. One such system is sold by the assignee of the present invention which is known as an "Endo Video Beam Splitter". This present device is useful but has relatively long optical paths and is used primarily in medical and surgical applications.
Beam splitters are used in the medical industry in cooperation with optical devices used primarily in surgical applications wherein a second observer or a recording device can view the same optical image as the user or surgeon, such as for example, an optical image from an endoscope.